Why try and get a higher cadence?
 

I was talking with my friend, and the topic of fixed gears came up, and i said the only reason i would get a fixed gear was to improve my cadence. He then proceeded to ask me why i would want a higher cadence, and the only thing i could come up with was that ive been hearing it on BF and that means i should try. Do you guys have the real reason?

Thanx

Just tell your friend that high cadence also improves boinking performance :D

Spinning faster puts less pressure on your knees. Less pressure is a good thing if you want to continue to have working knees for a long time.

There's probably something about your quads too. I seem to use a LOT more energy and my quads are noticeably more sore when I spend more time spinning slow.

That said, I rode 75 miles yesterday. My left outer hamstring tendon has been killing me for a few weeks. The pain seemed to subside by about 50% when I dropped my cadence to 70-75 instead of the 95-100 I usually spin.

Higher cadence causes your legs to move faster.

You can train your cadance on any bike, fixed or freewheel.
Fixed wheel is good for improoving your pedaling style.

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The faster a crank spins the cooler it looks.

If you spin an easier gear faster or a harder gear slower, you'll go about the same speed. The reason to spin is because 1) you preserve your knees and 2) you are using more of your aerobic capacity. That is, you are using your heart/lungs more than your leg muscles. This is good because you can more easily rest and recharge your circulatory system (and it has a higher capacity for use) than you can rest your legs. That means you can ride harder, longer and farther when you spin. Plus it looks cool and you feel very zen. :)

Yes, and then less lactic acid buildup in the muscles.

Lance Armstrong had a high cadence.
Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France 7 times in a row.
That should be enough proof for your friend.

I was spinning squares after riding a FG for a while.

how on earth do you spin squares on a crank that moves in a circle?

I ride by cadence, not mph. I stay above 90.

Torque X rpm = hp.

Speaking of cadence, does anybody else notice that Thor Huschovd likes lower cadence? I think its style each has their own advantage/disadvantage. I do believe a lower cadence tendency are harder on the joints but it uses/builds quadriceps more. And the above mentioned are its disadvantages, doesnt work on your aerobic as much. I am usually at 83ish personally. When I shoot for 90+, boy does that make a difference.

This

e = mc^2

I'm sure this has already been said, but it just comes down to balance. When you push a real big gear slowly, it's tough on your legs. When you spin a small gear really fast, it's tough aerobically.

So you want to find the balance between the two, for most this is 80-110 rpm. It's quite a range, and you just have to see what works for you. Lots of successful racers turn slow, lots turn fast. Some people think that a high cadence is better just because of Lance, but these folks tend to know bugger all about cycling and only a little bit about Lance.

There have absolutely been times where I've been riding at tempo, felt my legs start to feel week and geared down a cog, and seen my speed increase 0.5-1mph while also feeling like my legs were recovering.

???

Categorically speaking, the heart/lungs are only there to provide fuel for the legs and other necessary muscle groups. I don't disagree that the cardio/pulmonary system has capacity for use and recovery. The legs depend on the cardio/pulmonary system, and having a good functioning capacity of the latter is important, but there isn't the relationship one being able to partially replace the other that you suggest.

Drivers think you're going faster if you spin a lower gear really fast.

Apart from that, I've been trying to train myself to a faster cadence since I rigged up a cadence meter. Technology is insidious that way. Anyway, the first thing I noticed is that I get out of breath faster with a higher cadence, even though my legs feel fresher. My theory is train at higher cadence, not get out of breath, and then I can go faster longer.

i was under the impression that the high cadence allowed for less time under strain for the muscles, as the flexing of the muscle reduced blood flow, causing anaerobic energy burning, creating lactic acid.. where the higher cadence allowed for more frequent and shorter muscle strain allowing better blood flow.

The thing most people don't mention is that when you spin at higher cadence in the same gear as your lower cadence, it puts MORE strain on your knees. The point is to be going the same speed in a lower gear.

According to this book http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...w_myk_ro_title, higher cadences of 90-100 use more slow twitch muscles, which fatigue more slowly than fast and intermediate twitch muscles. The downside is that there is a higher aerobic demand. The theory is that the faster cadence pushes more blood to the heart and then more oxygen-rich blood is pumped to the body for increased aerobic performance. This reduces anerobic activity and lactic acid creation, which have limited energy stores and (and alot more pain).

As said above...duh cause Lance does it